Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Explained

Based On:Kung Fu Panda
Developer:
  • Mitch Watson
  • Peter Hastings
Theme Music Composer:Peter Hastings
Country:United States
Language:English
Num Seasons:3
Num Episodes:42
Runtime:24-46 minutes
Company:DreamWorks Animation Television
Network:Netflix

Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight is an American CG-animated television series,[1] developed by Mitch Watson and Peter Hastings for Netflix.[2] It is the third TV series in the Kung Fu Panda franchise, following .[1] Produced by DreamWorks Animation Television, the series premiered on Netflix on July 14, 2022.[3] A second season was released on January 12, 2023.[4] A third and final season was released on September 7, 2023.[5] [6]

Premise

The series picks up a few years after the events of Kung Fu Panda 3 and where Po the giant panda must leave his home and embark on a globe-trotting quest across China for redemption and justice that finds him partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Luthera (a brown bear), also known as Wandering Blade, to find four elemental weapons that broke up the world a long time ago.

Voice cast

See main article: List of Kung Fu Panda characters.

Main

Recurring

Guest

Episodes

Season 2 (2023)

Episode 12 (Epic Lunar New Year) is the only double length episode of the series, running at 46 minutes.

Season 3 (2023)

Production

Development

During National Panda Day in March 2022, DreamWorks and Netflix announced a new CGI animated Kung Fu Panda series with Jack Black reprising his role as Po from the films and serving as executive producer with Peter Hastings (Pinky and the Brain, The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants) and Shaunt Nigoghossian (Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!), while story edited and co-executive produced by Kipo writers Chris Amick and Ben Mekler.[11] [12]

The concept idea for the series began as a road buddy comedy that takes the viewers all over in pursuit of their goal to try and catch the bad guys. Jack Black had a cool vision for what an epic journey would be, one that fits well from the first Kung Fu Panda film while having a darker, more mature tone with the show versus past chapters also marks how the series is expanding the franchise.[13] Season 2 expands the concept further to explore Indian culture and Central American culture and deepens the characters made from the first season.

Assets from Paws of Destiny were used to build the sets but some episodes have 2D animation styles based on their own setting. One is rendered as comic graphic art, since an unpublished comic book is the central icon of that particular chapter of the story, and another one has a British-looking, lithograph kind of look.[2]

A score soundtrack from Kevin Lax (The First Purge, Burning Sands) and Robert Lydecker (Iron Fist, Lethal Weapon, Sleepy Hollow, Designated Survivor) was released on July 15 by Back Lot Music.[14]

Animation production services are provided by Technicolor (now known as Mikros Animation), 88 Pictures (Season 2), and Stella Creative Labs while storyboard services are provided by Dave Enterprises and Kok & Co., Pty, Ltd.

Release

The first season of Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight was released on July 14, 2022, on Netflix.[15] A second season, announced in December 2022,[16] was released on January 12, 2023.[17] A third and final season, announced in August 2023,[18] [19] was released on September 7, 2023.

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
2022KidScreen AwardsBest New Series in Kids ProgrammingKung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight[20] [21]
2023Annie AwardsOutstanding Achievement for Storyboarding in an Animated Television / Broadcast ProductionGrace Liu [22]
Children's and Family Emmy AwardsOutstanding Voice Performance in a Children's or Young Teen ProgramJack Black[23] [24]
Outstanding Directing for an Animated ProgramDavid Dick, Mike Goguen, Will Ruzicka, Kevin Wotton and James Yang
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for an Animated ProgramKevin Lax, Robert Lydecker, Vivian Aguiar-Buff, Alexandra Nickson and Clare Yezerski
Outstanding Sound Editing and Sound Mixing for an Animated ProgramRob McIntyre, DJ Lynch, Anna Adams, Evan Dockter, Marc Schmidt, Monique Reymond, Cat Gensler and Roberto Alegria
2024Best Animated SeriesKung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight[25] [26]
Best Holiday or Special Episode"Epic Lunar New Year"
Annie AwardsOutstanding Achievement for Storyboarding in an Animated Television / Broadcast ProductionGrace Liu [27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jack Black To Reprise Role As Po For Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Netflix Series. Slash Film. Motamayor. Rafael. March 16, 2022. March 16, 2022.
  2. Web site: Exclusive: Crafting Po's Return for 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight' (NEW Clip). Mallory. Michael. Animation Magazine. July 12, 2022. July 12, 2022.
  3. Web site: 'Kung Fu Panda' Animated Series Unveils Jack Black's Return as Po, July Release Date in First Trailer. Variety. June 16, 2022. June 16, 2022.
  4. Web site: 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight' Season 2 Trailer Brings the Action. King. Aidan. Collider. December 13, 2022. December 13, 2022.
  5. Web site: Trailer: Po Returns to Netflix for DreamWorks' 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight' S3. Milligan. Mercedes. Animation Magazine. August 3, 2023. August 3, 2023.
  6. New enemies, old foes, familiar faces, and… the Queen of England? All that and more in the final season of #KungFuPanda #DragonKnight streaming on @netflix September 7th. August 3, 2023. DreamWorksTV. 1687153990968995840.
  7. Web site: Rita Ora Joins 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight,' James Hong Returns as Mr. Ping. Animation Magazine. Milligan. Mercedes. May 6, 2022. May 6, 2022.
  8. Web site: Po tries to win his fans back in the Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight trailer. Lindert. Hattie. Yahoo!. June 16, 2022. June 22, 2022. September 27, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220927064353/https://www.yahoo.com/video/po-tries-win-fans-back-180800307.html. dead.
  9. Excited to finally share that I'll voicing WEIMIN (a Komodo Dragon) in Netflix's new show — KUNG-FU PANDA: THE DRAGON KNIGHT joining Jack Black's return to voicing Po! Now Streaming!. July 14, 2022. ParryShen. 1547624626141818884.
  10. Web site: DreamWorks Drops 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight' Season 2 Trailer .
  11. Web site: First Look: Jack Black Is Back as Po in 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight'. Milligan. Mercedes. Animation Magazine. March 16, 2022. March 16, 2022.
  12. Web site: 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight': Release Date, Trailer, Cast, & Everything We Know So Far. Collider. June 24, 2022. June 27, 2022.
  13. Web site: How 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight' Expands a Nearly 15-Year Franchise. White. Abbey. The Hollywood Reporter. July 31, 2022. August 3, 2022.
  14. Web site: Soundtrack Album for Netflix's 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight' to Be Released. Film Music Reporter. July 14, 2022. July 15, 2022.
  15. Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Official Trailer Netflix After School. Netflix After School. YouTube. June 16, 2022. June 16, 2022.
  16. Web site: 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight' Renewed for Season 2 at Netflix. Moore. Kasey. What's on Netflix. December 2, 2022. December 2, 2022.
  17. Web site: Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight Travels to India Exclusive Trailer and Casting News. Vejvoda. Jim. IGN. December 13, 2022. December 13, 2022.
  18. Web site: Jack Black Heads Back to London in New 'Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight' Season 3 Trailer [Exclusive] ]. Collider . 3 August 2023 . Diego Peralta . 7 August 2023.
  19. KUNG FU PANDA: THE DRAGON KNIGHT Season 3 Trailer . Kung Fu Panda Channel. YouTube. August 3, 2023. August 7, 2023.
  20. Web site: Streamers rule Kidscreen Awards nominations. Dickson. Jeremy. KidScreen. November 29, 2022. November 29, 2022.
  21. Web site: And the 2023 Kidscreen Awards winners are… . 2023-02-14 . 2024-02-20 . Dickson . Jeremy . KidScreen.
  22. Web site: Giardina . Carolyn . 'Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio' Wins Five Trophies Including the Top Prize at the 50th Annie Awards . . February 26, 2023 . February 26, 2023 . February 26, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230226092842/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/annie-awards-animation-2023-winners-1235334278/ . live .
  23. Web site: Children's & Family Emmy Awards: Disney Dominates Nominations. November 26, 2023 . . Tyler . Coates. 2 November 2023 .
  24. Web site: 'Sesame Street,' 'Muppets Mayhem,' Jack Black Among Winners at Children's & Family Emmy Awards . December 18, 2023 . . Kimberly . Nordyke. 18 December 2023 .
  25. Web site: Disney dominates the 2024 Kidscreen Awards nominations . 2023-12-20 . 2024-02-04 . Dickson . Jeremy . KidScreen.
  26. Web site: BREAKING NEWS: Announcing 2024's Kidscreen Awards winners . 2024-02-05 . 2024-02-20 . Dickson . Jeremy . KidScreen.
  27. Web site: Giardina . Carolyn . January 11, 2024 . 'Nimona' Leads Annie Awards Animated Feature Competition With Nine Noms; Snubs Include 'Wish,' Which Was Shut Out . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240112100952/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/nimona-2024-annie-awards-animated-feature-nominations-1235785110/ . January 12, 2024 . February 20, 2024 . The Hollywood Reporter.

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